Research and Reviews in Parasitology, 60 (3-4): 137-138 (2000) Published by A.P.E. © 2000 Asociaci6n de Parasit61ogos Espafioles (A.P.E.) Primed in Barcelona, Spain

FIRST REPORT OF PROBOLURUS (RAILLIET, 1896) LOOSS, 1905 (NEMATODA: TRICHOSTRONGYLOIDEA) IN SPAIN

J.M. ORTlZ, M.R. Rmz DE YBANEZ & M. GOYENA Parasitologia y Enfermedades Parasitarias, Departamento de Patologia , Facultad de Yeterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain

Received 4 December 1999; accepted 8 February 2000

REFERE'CE:ORTlZ(J.M.), RUIZDEYBA-EZ(M.R.) & GOYENA(M.), 2000.- First report of Trichistrongylus probolurus (Railliet, 1896)Looss, 1905 (Nematoda:Trichostrongyloidea)in Spain. Research and Reviews in Parasitology, 60 (3-4): 137-138. ABSTRACT:The gastrointestinalnematode Trichostrongylus probolurus has been identifiedin gazelles (Gazella dorcas and G. dama mhorr) in the Estaci6n Experimentalde Zonas Aridas (e.S.I.e., Almerfa).This is the first report of the presence of the parasite both in G. dama mhorr and in Spain. KEYWORDS:,Trichostrongyloidea,Trichostrongylus probolurus, Gazella dama, Gazella dorcas, Spain.

Since 1971 the Estaci6n Experimental de Zonas Aridas (0,029) (Fig. 2). The gubernaculum measures 0,069 (E.E.Z.A., e.S.I.e., Almerfa) has kept in captivity three (0,068-0,070) x 0,013 (0,012-0,014). Most of the present different species of African gazelles (Gazella dama measures were slightly higher than those reported by mhorr, G. dorcas and G. cuvieri) for reproductive purpo- SKRJABIN, SHIKHOBALOVA & SHUL'TS (1954) and ses. During the study of the parasitefauna of these wild SOULSBY (1987) (Table 1). ruminants, several specimens of Trichostrongylus probo- This parasite has been previously described in sheep lurus (Railliet, 1896) Looss, 1905 were collected from (avis aries), goats (Capra hircus), camels (Camelus dro- the small intestine of both G. dorcas and G. dama mhorr. medarius and C. bactrianus), gazelles (Gazella dorcas), Thirty gazelles that died between 1996 and 1998 bezoar goats (Capra aegagrus), Armenian mouflons owing to different reasons were necropsied and exami- (avis ophion armeniana), gophers (Citellus pygmaeus), ned to determine species and parasitic load. tolai hares (Lepus tolai) (SKRJABIN, SHIKHOBALOVA & ecropsies were carried out in the laboratory and gas- SHUL'TS, 1954), and occasionally in man (SKRJABIN, trointestinal tracts were carefully separated and proces- SHIKHOBALOVA & SHUL'TS, 1954; GAHDIRIAN & AA- sed as abomasum, small intestine and large intestine. FAA, 1975). However, this is the first report of T. probo- The content of each part was analysed under a stereomi- lurus in G. dama mhorr. The parasite is usually located croscope. Preparations of the isolated male nematode in the small intestine (SOULSBY, 1987), although it has specimens were made with lactophenol. Parasites were also been isolated from abomasum (SKRJABIN, SHIKHO- identified according to the descriptions of SKRJABIN, BALOVA & SHUL'TS, 1954). Both locations were recor- SHIKHOBALOVA & SHUL'TS (1954), DURETTE-DESSET ded in the present study. In spite of its wide geographical (1983) and SOULSBY (1987). distribution (North America, Asia, Africa, western Eu- It was shown that 3 gazelles (10% of the analysed ani- rope and the former U.S.S.R.), this nematode has not mals: IG. dama mhorr and 2 G. dorcas) harboured T. been previously reported in Spain (see CORDERO, CAS- probolurus adults, with parasitic load ranging from 3 to TANON & REGUERA, 1994). 30 (x = 14,33). Also, Camelostrongylus mentulatus, Os- The absence of T. probolurus in other native domestic tertagia ostertagi, Trichostrongylus vitrinus, Nematodi- or wild ruminants, and the African origin of these gaze- rus spathiger and Nematodirus filicollis were found (OR- lles suggest that this parasite constitutes a part of the ori- TlZ et al., 1998). ginal helminthfauna of these hosts, and reached our Males of T. probolurus were small and slender with the following characteristic measures (in mm): body length 5,57 (5,10-6,05), minimum width 0,013 (O,QlO- SKRJABI, 0,016), and maximum width 0,096 (0,086-0,102). The Present work SHlKHOBALOVASOULSBY bursa has large lateral lobes and a hardly appreciable & SHUL'TS(1954) (1987) dorsal lobe (Fig. 1). The structure of the bursal rays is Total length 5,09-6,05 4,3-5,55 characteristic of the genus: the posterolateral rib is thic- Maximum width 0,085-0,101 0,078-0,087 ker than the others, the posterolateral and externodorsal Length of spicula 0,136-0,156 0,125-0,134 0,126-0,134 ribs are short and close to each other, and the dorsal rib Length of is short and branched at the end (SKRJABIN, SHIKHOBA- gubernaculum 0,068-0,070 0,072-0,080 LQVA & SHUL'TS, 1954). The spicula are dark brown, nearly of identical length [0,148 (0,138-0,156) and Table 1.- Measures (in mm) recorded for Trichostrongylus probo- 0,141(0,l36-0,146)] and wider than in other species lurus. 138 lM. ORTlZ et al.

Trichostrongylidea in domestic ruminants, reviewed by HOLMES (1985), concluded that the initial signs of in- fection are low appetite and loss of protein in the gas- trointestinal tract, and subsequently a decrease in all the productivity rates. Trichostrongylus spp. are often con- sidered less pathogenic than other trichostrongylids (i.e. , spp., etc). Unfortu- nately, no studies regarding this problem have been conducted on T. probolurus. However, several authors reported weight loss and poor body condition at least partially due to such infections in domestic and wild ru- minants (GHADIRIAN & ARFAA, 1975; BARUS et al., 1976; BEVERIDGE & FORD, 1982; ABDUL-SALAM & FA- RAH, 1988; ONWULIRI et al., 1993).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are grateful to Mr. Joaqufn Abellan Catalan for assisting with the designs.

REFERENCES

ABDUL-SALAM(lM.) & FARAH(M.A.), 1988.- Seasonal fluctua- Fig. 1.- Trichostrongylus probolurus: male bursa in ventral view. tions of gastrointestinal helminths of camels in Kuwait. Veteri- Scale bar = 0,1 mm. nary Parasitology, 28: 93-102. BARUS(V.), ANIM(A.), BLAZEK(K) & MORAVEC(F.), 1976.- Ne- matodes parasitizing domestic ruminants in Afghanistan. Folia Parasitologica, 23: 207-216. BEVERIDGE(I.) & FORD(G.E.), 1982.- The trichostrongyloid para- sites of sheep in South Australia and their regional distribution. Australian Veterinary Journal, 59: 177-179. CORDERO(M.), CASTANON(L.) & REGUERA(A.), 1994.- Indice- Catdlogo de Zoopardsitos Ibericos. Secretariado de Publicacio- nes de la Universidad de Leon, Le6n, 650 pp. DURETTE-DESSET(M.C.), 1983.- Keys to genera of the Superfa- rnily Trichostrongyloidea.In: CIH Keys to the Nematode Para- sites of Vertebrates (R.C. Anderson & A.G. Chabaud edit.), Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, Farnham Royal, Bucks, England, No. 10. GHADIRIAN(E.) & ARFAA(F.), 1975.-Present status of trichos- c A trongyliasis in Iran. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 24: 935-941. HOLMES(P.H.), 1985.- Pathogenesis of trichostrongylosis. Veteri- nary Parasitology, 18: 89-101. B ONWULlRIrc.o.i ANOSIKE(J.C.), NKEM(C.N.) & PAYNE(V.K.), Fig. 2.- Trichostrongylus probolurus: A) spicules, ventral view; 1993.- The ecology of animal parasitic nematodes in endemic B) gubernaculum; C) spicules, lateral view. Scale bar = 0,1 mm. areas of Jos, Nigeria. Applied Parasitology, 34: 131-137. ORTIZ(lM.), RUIZDEYBANEZ(M.R.), ESPESO(G.), GOYENA(M.), VICENTE(J.) & CANO(M.), 1998.- Abomasal and small intesti- country with the arrival of the ruminants. Previous stu- nal nematodes in three species of captive gazelles. In: Euro-Ame- dies (PRESTON et aI., 1979) described the cross-trans- rican Mammal Congress (Santiago de Compostela), Abstracts (S. Reig edit.), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela: 209. mission of T. probolurus between Merino sheep (Ovis PRESTON(J.M.), KARSTAD(L.), WOODFORD(M.H.) & ALLONBY aries) and Thomson's gazelles (Gazella thomsonii). A (E.W.), 1979.- Experimental transmission of gastro-intestinal similar behaviour could be expected in our case. This nematodes between sheep (Ovis aries) and Thomson's gazelles hypothesis should be taken into account, since herds of (Gazella thomsonii). Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 15: 399-404. sheep and goats could graze near E.E.Z.A. limits, and SKRJABIN(KI.), SHIKHOBALOVA(N.P.) & SHUL'TS(R.S.) 1954.- gazelles would be a reservoir for infection to domestic Trichostrongylids of and man. In: Essentials of Nemato- dology, Vol 3 (KI. Skrjabin edit.), Izdatel'stvo Akedemii Nauk ruminants. Special control measures should be adopted SSSR, Moskva, 704 pp. to prevent the cross infection of other animals and the SOULSBY(E.J.L.), 1987.- Parasitologia y enfermedades parasita- spread of this parasite to domestic herds. rias en los animales domesticos. Edit. Interamericana, Mexico Numerous studies dealing with the pathogenesis of D.F., 823 pp.